PRP is the most popular non-surgical regenerative therapy in hair restoration. It's also one of the most over-promised. Below: what it actually does, who it actually works for, and where the honest limits are.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is prepared by drawing your own blood, spinning it in a centrifuge to separate plasma from red blood cells, and concentrating the platelet fraction. The resulting plasma contains 3–5x normal platelet concentration — and platelets release growth factors that, in theory, stimulate hair follicles.
The PRP is then injected directly into the scalp at the level of the follicle. A typical session takes 30–45 minutes. There's mild scalp tenderness for a day or two; you can resume normal activities the same day.
Treatment is typically a series — three sessions, four to six weeks apart, then maintenance every six months. The cumulative regimen is what produces measurable change; a single session alone rarely does.
PRP has decent evidence for slowing or modestly improving androgenetic alopecia in patients with early-stage loss and active follicles still present in the affected area. Multiple randomised trials show measurable hair-density increases at 3–6 months in early-pattern hair loss patients.
Where the evidence weakens: late-stage loss (Norwood V+) where most follicles are already gone or fully miniaturised. PRP cannot regrow hair from a follicle that no longer exists. It can only support follicles that are still present and partially functional.
PRP is not a substitute for surgery for patients with significant pattern loss. It's an adjunct — useful for slowing progression in early stages, for supporting transplanted areas during the early growth phase, and for patients who genuinely don't want or can't have surgery.
A standard PRP protocol is three sessions, four to six weeks apart, then maintenance every six months. The cumulative regimen is what produces measurable change; a single session alone rarely does.
Some clinics offer aggressive multi-session packages with marketing claiming dramatic results. We don’t. PRP works modestly in the right candidate; it doesn’t work at all in the wrong one. The honest first step is photo submission — we’ll tell you which you are before recommending anything.
PRP candidacy is determined by your stage and donor density — same first step as any consultation. Send photos and you'll get an honest assessment, including whether PRP alone is enough or whether surgery should be considered.